Could you be the next Clarence Jazz Festival Scholar?Entries now open!

The Clarence Jazz Festival scholarship is an opportunity for young jazz musicians to engage in a range of activities designed to enhance their performance and collaborative skills and to progress their music careers to the next level. 

In 2026/ 2027 Clarence Jazz Festival Scholars will receive:  

• 1 X masterclass with the 2027 Clarence Jazz Festival Ambassador (To be announced shortly – as per usual this one’s going to be seriously cool).  

• 5 X one-on-one tuition sessions with national jazz legends of your choosing (we can help you find tutors if you’d like some advice).  

• 4 X intensive group workshops with jazz masters, developing skills in bandleading, performance and collaboration.  

• 3 X Rhythm section sessions with professional musicians to develop your jazz festival performances.  

• Feature performances at Clarence Swinging Christmas at Rosny Farm (December 5th, 2026), Clarence Jazz Festival Opening event, Mainstage performance at the CJF Big Day, and the Clarence Jazz Festival Closing Event.  

• Opportunities to jam and collaborate with UTAS jazz students, your fellow scholars and other local and interstate artists across the jazz festival.  

• 2 X VIP passes to the entire Clarence Jazz Festival program.  

• Mentorship from Katy Raucher and Rosny Farm staff, developing skills in stagecraft, improvisation techniques and network building. 

Previous scholars have gone on to forge extremely successful international and national careers in music, but we want to emphasise that non-successful applicants have also done so. We encourage you to apply; even if you’re unsuccessful this time, there is enormous value in going through this process, and we will be available to offer feedback.  

2027 marks the 31st year that the Clarence City Council has produced the Clarence Jazz Festival, and the 22nd year that it has supported the development of the next generation of musical talent through the Scholarship program. 

The selection process for the scholarship takes place in two stages.   

Stage 1 is this application. In this application you’ll be asked to provide a video of you performing up to 10 minutes of music, along with answering a few questions about yourself and your interest in jazz.

Your video does not have to go for 10 minutes.

You may present multiple tunes in your audition video, but please ensure they are contrasting in nature (for example, a ballad and a blues). You may perform with either a backing track or live band.

Stage 2: If you are successful in Stage 1 you will be invited to audition with a live rhythm section of professional musicians at the UTAS Hedberg Centre in front of a panel of Rosny Farm staff and UTAS music faculty.

These auditions will take place over Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22, and Thursday 23 July 2026.

You will be allocated a 25 minute window between 1pm and 4pm.

If you are unable to attend this second round audition during the allotted timeframe please indicate this in your application and we’ll endeavor to find a suitable replacement time. 

Applications open: Tuesday 6 June 2026 

EOIs close: Friday 10 July 2026 

Round one notification: Thursday 16 July 2026 

Round two auditions (in person): Tuesday 21, Wednesday 22, and Thursday 23 July 2026.

Final notification: Tuesday 28 July 2026 

Scholarship season one: Monday 3 August 2026 – Monday 7 December 2026 

Scholarship season two: Monday 18 January 2027 – Monday 22 February 2027 

Clarence Jazz Festival (week of masterclasses, rehearsals and performances): Monday 15 – Monday 22 February 2027 

We encourage applications from music students across the islands of Lutruwita (Tasmania).

If you live more than one hour outside of Nipaluna (Hobart) we are pleased to offer scheduling support and financial assistance to cover travel expenses and accommodation costs for you and a parent/ guardian for key masterclasses, rehearsals and performances.

Applicants based outside Nipaluna (Hobart) may be able to audition remotely for their second-round audition. 

To be eligible to apply you must:  

• Be between 15 and 21 years of age and actively studying music (either at a high school, college or university level). Whilst grade 11 and 12 students tend to get the most advantage from the scholarship, we invite all applicants between this age range to apply!  

• Be available from the 15 – 22 February 2027 for Jazz Festival appearances. All other dates are negotiable with Rosny Farm Staff.  

• Be prepared to use email as the primary method of communication.  

• Commit to being punctual and organised for all masterclasses, sessions, rehearsals and performances.  

• Be available for media appearances where sufficient notice is given.  

• Liaise with your tutors and mentor to find mutually suitable times and dates for your tuition sessions.  

Successful applicants should address the following criteria in their application: 

Musicianship: The applicant demonstrates a high level of musicianship, technical facility and jazz language for their stage of musical development. The applicant has a foundational understanding of improvisation within a jazz context. (You can use your audition video to demonstrate this criteria)

Interest in jazz: The applicant demonstrates an interest in the stylistic, cultural, historical and social contexts of jazz music.  

Collaborative ability: The applicant demonstrates a reasonable level of ability to play with others, or demonstrates willingness to develop this skill.   

Benefit to applicant: The applicant demonstrates a reasonable intention and interest in pursuing further musical development beyond the lifetime of the scholarship. The applicant demonstrates an awareness of what they’d like to achieve from the scholarship opportunity. The applicant’s expectation matches what the scholarship offers.   

If you’ve got any questions, or require help with any part of this application, please get in touch with Jazz Festival Program directors Bek and Stevie on 03 6217 9620 during business hours.